November 27, 2012 - A coalition representing over 100,000 Ontario tradespeople and employers—the Ontario Construction Employers Coalition—says new fees announced by "the McGuinty government's newest bureaucracy" (Ontario College of Trades) amounts to "a major tax hit on both tradespeople and consumers".

"There's no question this new McGuinty government bureaucracy is as secretive, disorganized and as undemocratic as ever," said Sean Reid,  chair of the coalition.  "They've been stalling for months now on this multi-million dollar tax grab that slams tradespeople and consumers, and yet they still haven't bothered to explain what tradespeople will get in return. That's because there is no benefit. It is money for nothing."

The coalition believes the McGuinty government has made the trades tax optional for employers in 2013 in an effort to blunt criticism. Reid says it's a shell game that won't work.

"The reality is that it will cost tradespeople more to do their jobs, employers more to create jobs, and consumers more for a range of services. And the money is all going to support another layer of government bureaucracy that no one needs or wants."